Dominican Republic

During the pandemic, there was a strong demand for antibacterial air sanitisers in spray format, with essences that emulate the functionality of an air freshener with floral and fruity aromas. However, in the face of rising prices and increasing…

The picture was bleak for alcoholic drinks in Dominican Republic in 2022. The war in Ukraine had a negative impact, with the resultant energy crisis leading to high inflation and dampening volume sales somewhat. That being said, the appreciation of…

Analgesics has not seen a positive performance in 2023 as the height of the pandemic has passed. During the pandemic’s peak, consumers were buying up analgesics at a rapid pace to treat fevers, aches and other symptoms associated with acute…

In 2023, away-from-home tissue and hygiene saw double-digit value sales growth in the Dominican Republic. The COVID-19 pandemic led to the temporary closure of businesses, significantly impacting tourism and hospitality, which are essential…

Baby and child-specific products in the Dominican Republic is led by Johnson's Baby distributed by Johnson & Johnson Dominicana CxA. In 2023, this brand saw increasing pressure from lower-priced brands that were more attractive to frugal-minded…

The picture is expected to be brighter for baby food in 2023, with healthy current value and volume growth. While inflation remains high, pressure is expected to ease. In addition, the appreciation of the Dominican peso against the US dollar is…

The bakery industry in the Dominican Republic is mainly composed of microenterprises that are highly vulnerable to any increases in raw material costs due to their limited purchasing power. External factors such as the conflict between Ukraine and…

In 2023, the cost of living remained high in the Dominican Republic driving consumers towards more affordable options in bath and shower. Sales of bar soap picked up considerably as these formats are still considered a more economical alternative to…

In 2023, beauty and personal care in the Dominican Republic witnessed steady retail volume growth despite the relatively weak economy and high Inflation. Although the rate of inflation fell in 2023 compared to the previous two years, the overall…

It was a negative year for beer in the Dominican Republic in 2022, with a significant decline in volume sales. The war in Ukraine had a negative impact, with the resultant energy crisis leading to high inflation and dampening volume sales and also…

Bleach is widely used by Dominicans as it is considered highly versatile and is frequently used for cleaning floors, as a surface disinfectant and occasionally as a bleach in laundry. Its multipurpose benefits and lower unit price compared to…

Bottled water is seeing strong and stable growth in retail volume terms in 2023 with the category seeing stronger growth compared to 2022. Retail volume sales saw slower growth in 2022 as price inflation saw some consumers looking to make savings,…

A sustained increase in prices has hindered the recovery of breakfast cereals. Double-digit price increases were recorded in 2022, and inflation continues to impact all categories in 2023, especially children’s cereals and muesli and granola.…

This report assesses the business environment in Dominican Republic, focusing on the regulatory environment, stability of the financial system, FDI intake, labour market flexibility and skillset, trade openness, mobility infrastructure, ICT adoption…

Butter and spreads is expected to register moderate current value growth and marginal retail volume growth, as inflation still bites. Consumers are expected to continue to be highly price sensitive and prioritise value for money, but at the same time…

Carbonates continues to see healthy growth in 2023, both in retail volume and value terms. Nonetheless, growth has been slower than in the previous two years with economic pressures taking their toll and pushing some consumers to focus their spending…

Cheese is expected to register moderate current value and volume growth. However, inflation is still an issue and consumers are expected to continue to be highly price sensitive and prioritise value for money. This price sensitivity is expected to…

Despite higher unit prices and worrisome inflationary pressures, chocolate confectionery enjoyed modest retail volume growth in 2023. Many Dominicans are confronted with lower purchasing power as the cost of living remains above average.…

Cider/Perry continued to be niche product in terms of value and volume sales. However, it registered high double-digit volume growth in 2022. Cider/perry benefitted from the removal of pandemic restrictions and increased socialising through on-trade…

Retail volume sales of cigarettes continued to decline in the Dominican Republic during 2022 as the long-term trend away from cigarettes and towards alternative tobacco products continued to develop. In addition, smoking prevalence is still falling…

La Aurora SA maintained its very strong position in cigars, cigarillos and smoking tobacco in 2022 as the company’s wide portfolio of cigars ensured another consecutive year of category leadership for the local player. La Aurora continues to benefit…

Coffee remains by far the most important area of hot drinks in Dominican Republic. Not only is the country an important coffee producer but Dominican families also have a deep-rooted habit of consuming coffee in their homes, especially fresh coffee.…

In the Dominican Republic, multifunctionality has become an increasingly sought-after attribute in colour cosmetics. Not only are consumers more informed about the benefits of certain compounds, but they are seeking simplification in their beauty…

The commodities country overview provides comprehensive data on production, consumption and price trends on key commodities markets. The commodities overview in Dominican Republic covers production and consumption trends in agricultural commodities,…

Concentrates has continued to grow in retail volume and value terms in 2023, with both liquid and powder concentrates seeing healthy gains. Growth has been much stronger in current value terms, however, which is largely due to an inflation-driven…

Despite persistent inflationary pressures in the country and wages that have not yet caught up with market conditions, consumer health recorded growth in 2023. Growth was supported by solid categories, including cough, cold and allergy (hay fever)…

The swift reopening of the Dominican Republic following the COVID-19 pandemic gave the economy a boost, with the influx of tourists reinvigorating businesses. The tourism sector is a significant contributor to GDP and so the rebound in tourism has…

Cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies are among the most popular consumer health items in the Dominican Republic and are experiencing further growth in 2023 despite higher unit prices resulting largely from persistent inflationary pressures…

The picture is expected to be positive for dairy products and alternatives in 2023, with overall current value and volume sales expected to rise moderately. While inflation remains high, pressure is expected to ease. In addition, the appreciation of…

Deodorants are widely used by the population in Dominican Republic, where it is considered a necessity regardless of income group. Despite the price increases in recent years, demand has proved resilient with retail volume sales continuing to rise in…

Depilatories in the Dominican Republic witnessed steady volume growth in 2023. Demographic groups with lower purchasing power have become more cautious with their purchases in recent years, with inflation taking its toll. Less essential products such…

Despite the challenging economic conditions affecting the country, consumers continue to purchase a variety of dermatological products as awareness about treating certain conditions increases. Categories such as haemorrhoid treatments, medicated…

Dietary supplements continues to expand in 2023 as consumers have a large variety of products to choose from and are responding favourably to new product launches. At the end of 2022, for instance, Megalabs, launched InvitaEnergy, a combination of…

Digestive remedies continued to see an expansion in its consumer base in 2023 with higher penetration levels translating to stronger retail value sales. Products for indigestion and heartburn saw healthy growth thanks to more consumers eating outside…

While Latin America’s digital landscape is less well developed than other regions globally, most measures continue to improve, with Coronavirus (COVID-19) also having served to drive the digital landscape development in 2020. With locked-down…

Beauty and personal care remain the main category in direct selling with brands like Belcorp and Natura posting positive growth in 2022. The use of personalized recommendations and innovative products at affordable prices is supporting development.…

In 2023, Dominicans have shifted back to pre-pandemic lifestyles, since they are eating out more frequently and taking school classes face-to-face, whilst fewer companies have maintained the remote work option. At the same time, home cooking has…

Population expansion in the Dominican Republic will be driven by natural increase in 2021-2040. Ageing will be swift, impacting consumer trends and putting increased pressure on state resources to some extent. Fast urbanisation will result in over…

Drinking milk is expected to register moderate current value and volume growth. However, inflation is still an issue and consumers are expected to continue to be highly price sensitive and prioritise value for money. Flavoured milk drinks is expected…

The report examines economic landscape of Dominican Republic and provides information on major monetary indicators, foreign trade, investments and government finance. The economy in Dominican Republic expanded in real terms in 2022, driven by…

Retail prices of edible oils continued to rise in 2023 due to the inflationary climate, although at a slower rate than was witnessed in 2022. External factors, such as the high price of commodities and the war in Ukraine, have impacted the supply…

Energy drinks has continued to see strong growth in retail volume terms in 2023 with consumers returning to their pre-pandemic purchasing behaviour. Meanwhile, energy drinks has also seen dynamic double-digit growth in current value terms in 2023,…

Ageing, urbanisation and migration continue to be major factors shaping the global population. The number of seniors around the world kept expanding in 2021 and is expected to grow further in the years to 2040. The number of small children is…

In the years prior to the pandemic, consumers were keen to migrate towards premium fragrances in the Dominican Republic. However, with the economic effects suffered by low- and middle-income Dominicans during the pandemic and the subsequent…

Reduced price initiatives continue to gain momentum in the Dominican Republic as inflation squeezes consumer expenditure. Price sensitivity has been an issue since the pandemic with Dominicans looking for more affordable options. The number of…

Gum consumption remains steady in 2023 in the aftermath of the pandemic. Gum has historically been a product with high on-the-go and low at-home consumption in the Dominican Republic and was heavily impacted in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19…

In 2023, hair care in the Dominican Republic witnessed slightly slower growth in retail volume and current value terms, as consumers were more cautious with expenditure in the face of high inflation. Consumers switched to new packaging sizes and…

Herbal/traditional remedies recorded steady growth in 2023 as they are well received and trusted by Dominican consumers. Also, consumers are increasingly turning to more natural products that they perceive to be healthier, cleaner and less processed.…

In 2023, inflationary pressures in the Dominican Republic weakened, with the country seeing greater price stability compared to the previous year. With consumer confidence improving slightly, retail volume sales bounced back to post a moderate…

Household insecticides in the Dominican Republic are dependent on imports to supply domestic demand. The volatility in raw material and logistical costs in recent years has been reflected in the higher retail prices of these products. In 2023,…